Sinister
by Blue Kaous
Summary: Water has always been his number one fear - his phobia. Tales and lore throughout history speak of beautiful, alluring girls reeling sailors in with their songs, and Sonic had always wondered if these myths were true. But he's never expected to be caught up in a fairy tale like this.
1. Chapter 1: The Calm

**Sinister**

**Chapter 1: The Calm**

"_Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil."_

Water. The building block of life.

Rushing, swishing and moving all around. The tides swept forth, then receded, repeating time and time again. Birds called in the sky, scouting out food left behind from the earlier storm. Waves lapped the shore, attempting to climb up on the land – but failing to do so. High above in the clear, calm blue sky, the sun beat down on the world beneath. Tropical fowl continued to circle the figure perched on the sands lining the ocean, his breathing hoarse. Water serves as the foundation of life, aiding in the creation of nature and purity. Yet, here lay a boy ravaged by the same element. Blood stains lined the shoreline leading up to the beaten figure, his elegant blue fur clumped with the dark crimson formerly within his veins.

He was weak, but he knew this journey was far from over. It had only just begun. But could he find the strength to continue?

Of course. He had to. He _needed _to.

Choking, coughing and wheezing followed a mouthful of water and sand. The mixture mixed in with the dry, white grains of rock already present on the shoreline, and grass green eyes slowly opened up to the world. At first blurred, fuzzy and disorganized, the creature groaned weakly and pushed up with his biceps, his torn, white gloves sinking into the sand ever so slightly. Six, long blue quills swayed in the breeze as he struggled to rise, his knee planting on the surface of the beach as he slid his other leg upwards to a kneeling position..

Where did she go, he wondered?

Surely she wasn't dead, he could still hear her shrill laughter through the jungle ahead.

But was that possible? How could a creature such as she exist outside of the deep blue?

The teenage prodigy mumbled something inaudible, but could be assumed to be along the lines of a curse word. His entire body ached, and pleaded the powerful boy to lay back down. But he had a job to fulfil. Giving up wasn't in his nature – never had been, and never will be. Strengthened lungs expanded and sank in his chest with each breath, and slowly he ascended upon shaking legs.

His vision had all but cleared up, revealing to him the thick, vast jungle awaiting him. Uncertainty conquered his determination, filling his mind with doubts like death, or failure. He had never taken too keenly to not being successful. Where the obsession came from, he didn't know. Never in his life had he accepted "good enough" as the end, and did everything to the very best. His arch nemesis, Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik proved to be a worthy example.

No matter the plot – or devious scheme – the Doctor formulated, it would always be shut down. Almost just as fast as it had come to fruition.

He felt life speeding back up, his mind coming back to reality in a world he could only relate to a dream. A sharpened mind noted down the environment, as his keen, green eyes observed the cartoonish foliage. It was a world he had never seen before, at least not while awake.

Perhaps he wasn't in reality? Was this just a sick, twisted dream? Did his mind create such a vast world to toy with his consciousness whilst sleeping?

Questions he couldn't answer, and probably could never answer, filled his head. That was Tails' job – not his.

Speed. That's right, his job was speed. To race through any obstacle at nigh unreachable speeds, and conquer any enemy that presented themselves. He was the doer. The verb to the noun. While on the flip side, his brother and best friend, Miles "Tails" Prower, was the adjective. The descriptive, the smarts and the logic. Providing the strategy and everything in between.

But that flip side wasn't available right now. So it was up to him to do it himself, whether or not he could or couldn't. The variables didn't care – the danger wouldn't ease up on the basis he was only effective in one tactic. He'd have to develop the skills to formulate strategy and see the logic and danger in every situation, instead of relying on the other side to conveniently relay it to him.

His feet tingled, and looking down, he could see a small crab climbing up onto his red and white shoes. The blue hedgehog shook his left foot gently, shaking the creature off his body and back into the sand, to which it scurried off to another place.

Minutes, or maybe an hour, had passed by since he washed up on shore. How had he fallen into a situation such as this?

Right, it all began with her.

That beautiful, cunning girl. All his time spent avoiding, and fleeing from her, now suddenly turned into pursuit. But she wasn't the same. No, she was far different. So alluring and desirable, like a siren sent to lure sailors into their doom with their pleading, wonderful songs. Maybe that's where his fear of water stemmed from? No, that would be silly. Fear of a mythical creature is absurd, and he wouldn't ever accept something as childish as that. But yet, here he was, struggling to hold onto whatever was left of his life. She had him wrapped around her delicate, gloved finger. It was her game after all. She loved him after all, right? Always worried for his well being and concerned of the details he never fully paid attention to. She was angelic.

Wait. No - of course not.

She was _sinister_. An embodiment of evil itself.


	2. Chapter 2: Just a Fairytale

**Sinister**

**Chapter 2: Just a Fairytale**

"_No man is justified in doing evil on the ground of expedience."_

"We just _had _to go by water, didn't we?"

A slender, yet muscular, blue hedgehog crouched over the rear of the high tech sail boat. His quills waved with the violent breezes ravaging the open sea. As much as he might care on regular circumstances, this was a different story. Never again would he oblige to sail the sea when informed of a storm. Never, _ever_ again.

"C'mon, Sonic, it isn't that bad!" a young fox commented with a groan. His skill with piloting planes, and many other machines, proved him to be an ace in any field. His small hands gripped the wheel, keeping the ship sturdy amidst the crashing waves - further proving his unsurpassed knowledge.

On the other hand, the blue hero that led these conquests of adventure sat tiredly against the starboard, a sickly look over his face. Surely he wouldn't last the entire trip, or half the way. They had just set off!

Ten minutes turned into twenty, and twenty into four hours. Before long, the vicious storm had subsided to a gentle rain, with a casual tide pressing against the boat's haul. Despite the drastic change in environment, the blue hero lay motionless on the ground, a pale waiting at his side in case he needed to vomit – which had became a frequent occurrence. His white glove rested upon his stomach, rubbing gently while he moaned in discomfort.

To add to the torture of this wretched boat, he had grown hungry!

The meal of chilli dogs he had consumed back at home definitely hadn't filled him up, or maybe it was the vomiting? He didn't care – he just knew he was sick and _starving!_ With weak legs, the young hero pulled up on the railing and gingerly walked towards his best friend.

"Yo, Tails. When are we gonna stop for a rest?" the blue hero remarked, holding a fist to his mouth in case his stomach overtook his control.

"There's a small island just up ahead." Tails glanced at his sickly brother briefly with a sigh. "You can't wait until we get to Apotos? It's only another two hours..."

"_Only?" _The blur blur scrambled to the edge of the boat, letting out his guts into the ocean for the twentieth time since they left. "I don't think I can last another two _minutes!" _

"Oh, fine," Tails sighed, cranking the ship towards the island nearest them. "Next time don't eat before we go sailing."

"Why couldn't we have just taken the good ol' Tornado like always, _hmm?_" Sonic groaned, and slumped to the floor, watching the clouds pass by overhead.

"I haven't had time to fix it," the young fox responded, flipping a couple switches in order to power down the engines. "Plus, the parts I needed are out in Apotos. It was faster to sail than wait out the storm."

"Ugh..."

The small ship floated gently with the lapping waves, approaching the moss ridden dock. Knowing his given duties, the blue blur eagerly jumped from the boat and to the wooden foothold, holding one end of the rope in his hands. In a flash of blue, he tied the anchor to the wooden post on shore, and proceeded to stretch his legs. Thunder rumbled in the distance, coming closer along with the foreboding storm clouds. Rain had now begun to fall around them, driving the duo to the pub nearest the harbour.

Gazes lazily swept over to the door which had now swung open, watching as the anthropomorphic siblings scrambled inside. Outside, the rain had begun to drown the world, creating a rhythmic tap against the wooden roof. The characters inside returned to what they had been doing previously, creating loud chatter amongst the up-beat piano playing in the background. Sonic and Tails trotted up to the bar, and jumped onto the stool, water dripping from their sneakers onto the floor. A girl with brunette hair then strode from the kitchen, wiping her hands onto her apron. Her jade eyes danced across the two heroes, a warm smile gracing her ruby lips. Sonic blinked in astonishment, taking in the sheer beauty of this girl.

"Good evening, handsome," she greeted, a faint southern accent accompanying her words. Her angelic eyes locked onto Sonic's, causing him to go rigid.

"Uh, hey," Sonic replied nervously, his cheeks flushed, to which Tails quickly noticed.

The young fox groaned and sighed into his palm. "Could you get us some hot chocolate?" the young kitsune questioned politely.

"Of course, hon," she winked, grabbing the duo's attention as she made her way past the saloon-esque doorway and into the kitchen.

"What a babe..." Sonic muttered with a sigh.

"C'mon, Sonic! We won't be here long enough for you to get to know her anyways!" the young fox complained, perplexed with the sudden infatuation. "I'm sure Amy wouldn't be too pleased..."

The blue hero stifled a laugh, then shot his nose into the air with a snort. "Please! Amy _knows _we're just friends! Besides, I don't think I could ever really..you know..._date _her..."

"I don't see why not. I mean, she's obviously crazy about you, Sonic. What other girl would sit around and patiently wait for you _every _time you left on some random adventure? She's pretty patient, especially for a girl of her temperament."

"Eh..." the young blue hero groaned and adverted his gaze, trying to ignore the topic. "Where are we anyways?"

Rolling his eyes and groaning, Tails brought out his laptop from his backpack. The screen quickly flashed to life, revealing a satellite image of their location, with a blinking dot over a small building. "Doesn't say. But the capital of Apotos, Mykotosina, is just north of here. Look's like this islet is off the map."

"Strange...it looks pretty busy for it to be unnamed, don'tcha think?" Sonic replied curiously, glancing around at all the drunken customers. A majority of them seemed to be old sailors, with the occasional lady scattered amongst the tables. "This place kinda reminds me of that movie about that pirate..."

"Pirates of the Caribbean?" Tails guessed.

"Yeah! Next thing you know, Captain Jack the Sparrow will come waltzing in!" Sonic sniggered, as the gorgeous bar tender set down two mugs.

"Heh, that _would_ be interesting!" Tails chuckled, taking a sip of his warm drink.

"Where ya' boys from?" the woman asked, leaning onto the bar with a hand propped under her chin. "You don't really look like the folk I usually see 'roun here."

"Square Station..." Sonic replied distractedly, but quickly caught himself. "Erm, I mean Station Square! Haven't you seen me on the news? I'm Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog!"

A blank gaze watched the blue hero as he posed heroically. "Can't say I have. This place don't get too many visitors. We're pretty much just a rest stop for sailors on their way to Apotos, Spagonia and the United Federations."

"There's no cable or TV out here?" Tails wondered in shock. The young waitress nodded, not seeming to care much and then stood back up. Quickly adjusting her apron and belly button length blouse, she strode to a bottle of whiskey, pouring it into a cup with ice.

"We haven't gotten any electricity for about ... eighty years now," she informed with a yawn, and took a drink. "It kind of just stopped. Not like we were the most bustling town before that, though."

"That's weird," Sonic stated with a suspicious look.

Thunder then shook the bar, causing the dishes to clatter. However, despite the storm, everyone within continued to happily talk amongst themselves. Though the customers had thinned out, many of them saying their goodbyes to the beautiful bartender, the talking still overtook the piano. The young fox gazed up at the ceiling fan, biting his thumb while Sonic and the brown haired vixen chatted. Turning his turquoise eyes back to the computer screen, the young fox brought up an internet browser.

"Excuse me, Miss?" the young fox interjected quietly.

"Hmmm?" She responded gently, turning her angelic gaze towards the fox.

"Uh..what's this place called, anyway?"

"Ain't no name," she responded simply, and took the last gulp of whiskey. "This island used to be a pirate outpost back in the 1800's. They called it Drum Island. But now, it's just a little town. Nothin' but some one hundred people or so."

"How'd it get that name?" Sonic asked, intrigued.

"They say a group of creatures called sirens lived along the coast. Their drums were loud as thunder, and their singing sounded like angels. People thought it was the entrance to heaven! But after a coupla' hundred years, the myth died out. Kinda just turned into a bed time story for kids." The woman explained, swirling the ice in her glass. "Some say, that Whitebeard - a notorious pirate who ruled the seas in the area - captured and killed them all. They say he used them as his personal slaves once he cut out their voice boxes."

Gulping in unison, the brothers leaned further in. The story becoming truly enchanting and mystical.

"But, rumour has it, that the dawn following a vicious storm, the beautifully devious creatures return to the rocky coast. Then, for only ten minutes, when the island is lit by the sun before it has risen past the horizon, they'll sing once again! But only to lure in pirates like Whitebeard for revenge. Some tales speak of a siren who had escaped. One who murdered Whitebeard and his crew, and used the bone in his forearm as a flute. They say that she still lives on the island, hoping to one day find a man who'll love her – unlike the last man to break her heart."

"Who was that?" Both Sonic and Tails asked, leaning in further with widened eyes.

"Whitebeard," the lady grinned, enthused with the amount of interest her tale had spiked in the duo. "That blasted pirate used his cunning to trick her into loving him so she'd lead him to her sisters. She didn't even see it coming."

Another blast of thunder shook the small, wooden building. Tails yelped in fear, having been too entranced with the story. However, the young bartender giggled and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. By now, the bar had grown empty. Even the piano had stopped, and the pianist had started packing up. The brunette bombshell grabbed the empty mugs that the hot chocolate once occupied, and cradled them on her index finger.

"But of course, it's just a silly children's story to keep them away from the east shores of the island. Couple kids drowned out there because of the tides and rocks. Shame, really," she yawned and waltzed back to the kitchen to clean up, waving goodbye to the musician as he departed.

The young duo sat quietly, fiddling with the napkins. Sonic seemed to be deep in thought, his eyes staring up at the wooden welcome sign over the door. Noticing the thoughtful gaze of his brother, Tails waved his hand in front of the grass green orbs, trying to gain Sonic's attention.

"You know it was just a fairytale, right Sonic?" the young fox asked, worried.

"I know, I know," he responded quietly, spinning a toothpick around on the bar with the tip of his finger. "But what if there's some truth in it? I mean, it'd be pretty cool to meet one of those creatures. What if they _are _real? Imagine the stories they'd have to tell!"

Wonder filled the green eyes of the blue blur, as he imagined the endless possibilities. "It's not like we have anything better to do! I'm not going back on that boat until that storm stops!"

The waitress walked back in through from the kitchen, hanging her apron up. With a loud yawn and much needed stretch, she hopped onto the bar, and swung her legs around. Her hair seemed to swing with such elegance, that one might mistaken her for an angel!

"Why don't you two come stay at my pappa's house?" she offered with a warm gaze. "I wouldn't want two handsome young me- I mean, _heroes _to get lost or killed out in that storm! Well? What'dya say?"

Glancing at one another, the duo nodded eagerly and hopped off their stools. The girl quickly grabbed a leather jacket, and locked the doors to the bar, leading the brothers outside into the gentle rain. She then turned to her right and started walking up the limestone pathway towards a small cottage nestled on the top of the hill. Before long, the group arrived at the front step of the cozy cabin, and walked inside. A warm fire heated the small log cottage, and illuminated it with the golden flames. The lady hung her jacket, and then led the duo to the fireplace, where two sofa's and an armchair were found.

"You two can sleep out here," she informed politely. "I'll just go and fetch you two some blankets and pillows. Try n' be quiet, coz' daddy is sleeping."

Sonic nodded, and then slumped into the larger couch, yawning. "So, what do you think, Tails? Should we go check out the beach tomorrow morning?"

Looking at Sonic with uncertainty and doubt, the young fox slid his backpack under his sleeping space. He slouched forwards, his elbows rested against his knees to cradle his chin in his hands. "I suppose there's nothing to lose. I have to go and check up on the Sea Typhoon, anyway. What time should I set the alarm on my watch for?"

"How about four?" Sonic suggested, yawning again.

"But the sun rises at four thirty in this area. Think we can find it in time?" Tails asked, adjusting the alarm on his hightech watch. The young fox set the device on the end table, and then slid his shoes off.

"C'mon, bro!" Sonic smirked. "I can get us there in the blink of an eye!"

"Heh, yeah, I guess you're right!"

Two sets of tired eyes shifted over to their host, taking in her new apparel. A long, white t-shirt covered her hourglass figure, just barely hiding the plaid shorts she wore. Her chocolatey hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, which swayed as she tossed the blankets and pillows to her visitors.

"If you get too warm, you can just put out the fire," she stated with a yawn, and slowly retreated up the stairs from which she came. "Night, you two! If Daddy isn't quiet, just try n' snore. He'll shut up."

"Erm, okay," Tails responded, pulling his blanket up to his chin snugly.

"Night..." Sonic paused, and then turned his attention to the stairs. "Wait, I didn't catch your name!"

"Helen!" she called, then disappeared to the upper level of the cabin.

"Well, I guess I'll seeya in the morning, bud." Sonic yawned, and flipped so that his back faced Tails.

"Yeah, G'night."

**To be Continued**


	3. Chapter 3: Deep Blue See

**A/N - Yes, the chapter title was intentional! **

**Sinister**

**Chapter 3: Deep Blue See**

"_Can ye fathom the ocean, dark and deep, where the waves and the grandeur sweep?"_

"Sonic, are you sure you know where you're going?"

Trees rustled and peeled away from the duo trudging through, while branches snapped and leaves fell to the ground. Despite the storms that seemed to ravage the island, the rainforest lining the coast seemed near untouched! Footsteps continued to trudge through the mud and dirt, as forest creatures scurried from the paths of sneakers to safety. Weary cyan eyes gazed over the healthy vegetation around him, taking into mind the wonderful balance of nature the island seemed to have. Everything lived off one another. The sun and rain gave life to the trees and plants, which housed the bugs – much to his displeasure – providing food to the other animals about the forest.

But of course his focus was also on searching for spiders that made their way towards him. The sight of those creepy, crawling arachnids drove him _wild_!

A brisk wind swept through the scarce openings between trees, bringing in the scent of the ocean with it. Sonic's nose flickered with the new scent, and a grin soon followed. He knew they were on the right track now!

"C'mon! We aren't far away!" The blue wonder called, rushing ahead through the shrubbery. "Oh yeah! What time is it, bud?"

Grassy green eyes, like the forest all around, danced back to the young fox. With a gentle sigh, Tails brought his arm up and gazed down at his damp watch. With a quick swipe of his thumb over the glass face, Tails turned his attention back to his fleeting brother.

"Hey, Sonic! Wait up!" Tails exclaimed, chasing after the blue blur. "It's only quarter after four, you know!"

Footsteps pattered against the forest floor, leaving fresh prints in the soil. A gloved hand quickly swept away a large leaf, holding it above himself for a better view. Tails panted and slowed to a stop beside his brother, leaning forwards on his knees. After the young, and less athletic, brother had time to suck in a lungful of sweet ocean air, he gazed at the sight before him.

Water lapped the white sand shores ever so gently, leaving its mark on the beach before receding, and repeating. Gulls called in the sky, swarming around the various critters making their way across the treacherous sands towards the ocean. A light mist hung around the coastal paradise, as shafts of sunlight slowly peaked through across the horizon.

"It looks like something from a story book." Tails gazed in awe at the waters, before noticing a blue figure jogging onto the beach. Sighing, the young engineer slid down the cliff and pursued his elder brother. "I thought you didn't like water, Sonic?"

Noticing the frustrated look from the orange fox, the superhero chuckled. "It's not so terrifying when it ain't all around, y'know? I mean, from here I can at least run away or somethin'."

"Why don't you just learn to swim?" Tails retorted, with utmost confusion. Despite all the years they had been friends, the fact that Sonic never even _bothered _learning how to swim escaped their conversations.

"Drowning isn't what I'm afraid of...I don't know," Sonic explained, unsure about the phobia himself. "I guess it's just unnerving. Up here I can go as fast as I want, but when you're down there, everything is sluggish. I suppose it's instinctual."

Gazing at his brother with interest, Tails nodded and turned his attention back at the rising sun. "I see."

The crashing waves soon overtook the silence about them, throwing them into a trance. Each of the heroes had now sat down on the wet sand, watching as the sea water crept to their toes, and then retreated. With a loud yawn, Sonic flopped back in the sand, causing a small crab to scuttle away. Cyan orbs flickered over to the blue hero, and then down to the watch ticking ever so gently.

"It's almost four-thirty," the twintailed fox informed. "Hear anything like what Helen described in her story?"

"Maybe the drums were -"

Sonic's ear flickered briefly, a sound catching his attention. Quickly and without hesitation, the young blue hero jumped to a seated position and craned his neck to look at the trees. Green eyes scanned the forest, watching for the source of the noise he had heard. The smile that once occupied his face had vanished, replaced by a look of suspicion. A gloved hand rested on Sonic's tan arm, bringing the hedgehog back to reality.

"You okay, Sonic?" Tails asked quietly, concern present in his eyes. "You look worried, or something."

"Must've just been my ears playing tricks on me..." Sonic muttered, just barely audible.

"I guess it's just a fairy tale after all." The young fox sighed, and stood up with a stretch. "Ready to head back?"

"We've hardly been here five minutes, dude," Sonic interjected, earning a puzzled look from his best friend.

"But, Sonic, it's seven o' clock. You fell asleep."

The blue hero turned back towards the horizon, the sun now beginning its climb into the sky. Its warm rays had begun to heat the land, and give light to the world once again. Sonic shut his eyes, then sighed and stood up. With a quick stretch like his brother, the blue hero grinned and rubbed his head.

"I guess I was just dreaming, then!"

Laughing, the young fox nodded and jabbed a thumb over to the path on the beach. "You up for taking the _pathway _this time?"

"Sure, bud!" Sonic chuckled, and together they jogged over to the slippery, wooden path. "Hey, maybe Helen's dad knows something about the weird legends going around this place! We could ask him for some pointers to see if this all fake or not!"

"I still have to get my parts from the shop in Apotos, Sonic!" Tails explained, his words becoming stern. "We've already lost time staying the night. Why don't we stop back in on the way home?"

"Oh, alright." Sonic nodded with a sigh. "Party pooper."

Rolling his eyes, the young fox jogged up the staircase leading to the harbour, and then scanned the docks for his ship. "Why don't you go and find Helen? She'll want to make sure we're safe; we didn't exactly tell her we were leaving this morning, remember?"

"Roger that, bro!" Sonic nodded, and dashed off towards the bar they had been to before.

Snapping his fingers upon finding his boat, Tails spun his namesakes round and hovered over the water. The other, significantly less awe-inspiring, boats swayed gently in the waters below him. Fish jumped occasionally, and birds swooped across the greenish-blue ocean. Finally, the young fox descended, and landed on the dock in front of his ship. A whistle cut through the air, and the fox turned to greet Sonic and the beautiful brunette that had housed them for the night.

"So I hear you guys are leavin' already?" Helen asked, disappointment lining her features. "You sure you boys don't want no breakfast or coffee?"

"Apotos is only about an hour or two away, so, we should be fine!" Tails responded with a smile, though, suspicion had begin to form in the back of his head. "Say, which of these boats is your dad's, Helen?"

"Oh, his isn't here. He went out fishing not long after you boys left this mornin'." The woman grinned and pointed at the faint, black dot out in the distance. "Daddy says fishing is best after a storm!"

"Can we come back for some fresh fish, Tails?" The young hero exclaimed, nearly drooling. "Puh-Leaaaaasse!"

With a hesitant sigh, the young fox nodded. In return, the blue wonder howled in happiness, performing a happy dance. "Now before you scare the only friend we have here off, help me get the ship ready!"

Saluting his younger brother, a flash of blue filled the docks, and Sonic stood at the ready. "It was nice meeting you, Helen! We'll be sure to stop in on our way back."

The brunette smiled and waved the two heroes off. Slowly, the ship became but a spec in the distance, like the one her fathers boat had become. Though the warm smile that she was best known for quickly vanished, replaced by a blank stare out into the rolling waves of the ocean. Then, as if on cue, the white clouds overhead begun swirling and rolling together. Following close behind the departed ship, storm clouds rolled in from the direction of Station Square, bringing with them terrifying seas.

**Meanwhile..**

With the sun high above, and the ocean calm as can be, Sonic groaned from atop the cabin of the ship. The rays of light from the sun pulsed against anything not protected from its heat. Sweat rolled down the side of Sonic's head, and with a half-lidded glare, the blue hero thrust his middle finger up at the beating ball of flame. Grunting loudly, the blue blur moved his gloved hand over his eyes, doing his best to guard himself from the scorching heat. However, nothing seemed to work! Finally, the world hero spun around onto his belly, grunting once more.

"I think I prefer the storms," Sonic moaned against the ceiling of the control room.

Though muffled, the complaint came through audible, causing the sailor within to groan. "Be careful what you wish for, Sonic. The ocean might hear you, and then you'll be sorry!"

"Har har, very funny." Sonic quipped sarcastically.

Waves splashed to either side of the ship as it plunged through the ocean. Hours had now passed, without any signs of land from either direction. With a confusing moan, Tails tapped at the compass within his wheel to make sure it was working properly. The needle within spun sporadically, then darted north, then continued to spin. The young fox sighed and turned his attention outside, looking for any traces of their destination he could find, but to no avail. Something wasn't right here, and he was beginning to wonder if his navigation systems had been damaged from the storm.

"Hey, Sonic," Tails called, his voice troubled. Cyan eyes continued to scan the horizon for anything that looked like a shoreline.

"Mm-hmm?"

"Do you see anything up there?"

"You mean, besides the endless amount of water to every direction waiting to swallow me up like Big does food?"

"Yeah?"

"Then, no."

The blue blur jumped down from his perch, and stretched out behind his brother, trotting into the helm. "What gives, Tails? I thought it was only supposed to be two hours? I feel like it's been a _day_!"

"My electronics and navigation systems aren't working properly," Tails explained, pointing to the compass. "Not even my watch is working right. It keeps jumping through different times every couple seconds. It's like the magnetic pull of the earth is spinning around us! That or it's an electromagnetic field...but..."

"A what-now?"

"Electromagnetic field. Our bodies generate very subtle electromagnetic fields, and when they're at a much larger scale, they interfere with electronics. It could be some experiment GUN is conducting nearby that's messing with my navigation's...but I don't know what's going on with my watch..."

"Are the batteries dead?"

"It's a wind up watch, Sonic."

"So wind it back up?"

Sighing, Tails rubbed his temples. "Don't worry about it...just go back up there and see if you can see anything, okay?"

"Ay ay, Cap'n!"

A gentle _thunk _echoed in the helm, and Sonic chuckled. "Hey, Tails, guess what?"

"What, Sonic?"

"If you wore a big, blue hat, I could call you Cap'n Crunch!"

"Very funny...do you see anything?" Tails responded dryly.

"Someone's grumpy..." The blue hero snorted, then scanned the ocean for anything that stood out from the endless, deep, blue sea. Sure enough, green eyes widened upon noticing two things. First, black clouds had begun to roll in from ahead, and with it, rain and lightning. To the west of the storm, and seemingly in the centre of it, a lone island stood amidst the chaos.

"Yo, Tails!" the blue hero called. "I see an island up ahead. Maybe we can stop in and get directions!"

However, upon closer inspection, the blue hero frowned. His eyes squinted and he gazed at the island closer. A chuckle escaped his lips and he jumped back down from the roof of the helm. "Guess we're back for a visit faster than we expected. That's the same island from earlier!"

"But...how..." Tails muttered, staring ahead at the lone islet, their boat closing in on the harbour once more.

**To Be Continued **


End file.
